Arthur lamplough



(No Model.)

A. LAMPLOUGH. COUPLING LINK.

No. 526,627. Patented Sept. 25, 1894 wnesses j/ lbehfor,

simple, eflicient and cheap device by which any size suitable to the chain it is intended UNITED STATES;

PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR LAMPLOUGH, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

COUPLING-LINK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 526,627, dated September 25, 1894.

Application filed January 18, 1894- Serlal No. 497,302. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that LARTHUR LAMPLOUGH,a sub ect of the Queen of Great Britain, and a resident of London, in the county of Middlesex, England, have invented a new and Improved Coupling-Link, of which the followmg is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a 1n case of need the chain can be instantly released wnile strain is on it, no slacking being. required.

According to my invention I employa fiat tened link made preferably of steel though it may be of 1I0Il or other suitable metal, and of to couple. In one side an opening is out or' formed and one end of the link is made straight and square or at or about at right angleswiththesidesofthelink. Tothisopening a side bar or piece is hinged and fitted so as to open outwardly, and it is secured in normal position by a locking spring clip.

I will describe my invention more fully in reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- 1 Figure 1 is a side elevation and Fig. 2 an edge elevation of my improved link, inserted 1n an ordinary chain supposed to be in tenslon, showing the hinged side piece closed and locked. Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the side piece open and the chain about to be uncoupled. Fig. 4 is a detail.

The link is shown with a cross bar though that is not essential.

a is the flattened link having anopening b inone side. The end 0 of the link is carried up square or straight so as to allow the adjoining link to slip ofi easily when required.

dis the swinging side piece fitting the opening 1) and pivoted to the link at 6 so as to open; and it has or may have a tongue as at 9 adapted to engage in a corresponding slot formed in the link as shown in Fig. 4, so that the piece d when closed fits solidly and securely to the link.

f is the spring locking and releasing clip,

which is hinged upon the pivot e and normally lies close alongside of the piece (1. Its free end is fashioned so as to embrace both the face and the upper and under sides of the opening joint, and to facilitate manual operation it may be slightly bent or flanged outward on one side for example, as shown at d, Figs. 1 and 3.

The operation is as follows: Assuming the link to be closed and inserted in a chain in tension (Fig. 1), and that it is desiredto uncouple the chain, the spring clip f is first pulled out to the position shown dotted in Fig. 2 and then thrown back clear of the side piece cl as dotted in Fig. 1.. Then the side piece is free to be thrown over on its pivot e to the position shown in Fig. 3 and then a slight outward pressure upon the link will effect the uncoupling and without slacking the chain.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. A coupling link comprising a link having a substantially straight end bar a and a side piece hinged to the end bar, its forward end engaging the opposite end of the link, a laterally movable clip f projecting over the engaging ends of the link and side piece, and a spring on which the clip is mounted, substantially as described.

2. A coupling link comprising a link having a substantially straight end bar 0 and a side piece hinged to the end bar, its "forward end engaging the opposite end of the link, a laterally movable clip f projecting over the engaging ends of the link and side piece, and a spring on the side piece on which the clip is mounted, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of two Witnesses, this 8th day of December, 1893.

ARTHUR LAMPLOUGH.

Witnesses:

KENNETH L. SKINNER, ATHOL G. EVANS. 

